David Stern is Burning

How you like them Rome apples?

For years, sports commentators and analysts have been drilling athletes, owners, coaches and commissioners with professional and personal questions trying to dig up the most interesting dirt that would interest the public. The problem is when the questions are below the belt and the interviewees fights back to avoid further embarrassment from the interviewer. No one is more famous for their outlandish questions and lack of regard for privacy than the former ESPN host of “Rome is Burning,” Jim Rome. This morning was just another moment for Jim Rome to put someone on the hot seat and listen to them squirm as they try to avoid his probing questions that come off more like an interrogation.

Mr. Rome, I will break you like a twig, conversationally speaking of course.

Luckily for the listeners of Rome’s radio show, as well as NBA fans around the world, his guest for the morning was NBA Commissioner David Stern. Since taking over as Commissioner for Larry O’Brien back in 1984, Stern has made it a point to be up front and in the public eye, letting the fans know that the NBA is in good hands. Stern was clearly not prepared for the accusatory question that Jim Rome had ready for him. Rome went on to probe Stern with an accusation that the NBA had fixed the Draft Lottery to favor the NBA owned New Orleans Hornets. Stern firmly responded by asking Rome if he’s still beating his wife. Now Rome has never been formally accused of domestic violence, but Stern clearly was pissed with Rome’s question.

So what if the lottery was fixed! My dog is fixed, and he’s still a lot of fun!!

The question is 100% warranted based on the fact that New Orleans is owned by the NBA and the odds that they would win the lottery were a slim 13.7%. I personally don’t think that the lottery was fixed, but with the nullified trade that the NOH’s made involving Chris Paul with the LA Lakers before the season started and then the Clippers trade going through just days later for the before mentioned Paul, made the NBA’s involvement with the team seem slightly suspect. Regardless of whether Rome was right or wrong in this instance, I am just glad a person like Rome finally got caught by some bad Karma. Rome’s fame escalated for an incident on his show in 1994 when his guest was NFL Quarterback Jim Everett. Rome had referred to Everett as “Chris” (after Chris Evert the female tennis player), suggesting that Everett was scared of being hit. When he was a guest on the show, Everett warned Rome about repeating the insult. Rome continued his taunt, causing Everett to overturn the table between them and shove Rome to the floor while still on the air. Here is the interview between Rome and Stern and you can determine whether David’s aggressive responses can compare to Jim Everett’s temper tantrum.
Let us know who you feel is in the right or wrong in this situation.

2 responses

After listening, I really feel like Stern is in the wrong, Jim Romes job is to ask the tough question and he prefaced it by saying it wasn’t necessarily what he believed but he had to ask it…stern got really defensive and then started taking personal shots at Rome…I think Stern is a good commissioner but did not handle himself well here at all

I have to agree with you 100 percent. David Stern is known as a guy who knows how to keep is cool, and it seems like Jim Rome found a question that made stern feel really uncomfortable. Even though Rome might be right in this situation, people have to realize that he had this ass whooping coming. Rome is known for pissing his interviewees off and it looks like karma finally hit. him in the ass